Macro non-uniformity levels have existed in raster scan image output terminals (IOTs) (e.g., xerographic printers) for some time and are a concern for most marking processes. Even small non-uniformity level errors in raster scan IOTs give rise to visually objectionable banding in halftone outputs (e.g., image macro non-uniformity streak artifacts). Such errors typically arise in raster scan image output terminals (IOTs) due to variations in ROS spot size across the field (which is constant in time (print to print)), donor-roll once-around, HSD wire hysteresis, laser diode variations, LED bar power variation, ROS scan line non-uniformity, photoreceptor belt sensitivity variations, and/or ROS velocity non-uniformity. Significantly, many variations occur only in the fast scan (e.g., X) or slow scan (e.g., Y) directions, and they do not interact to first order. Therefore, a correction made in one direction has a negligible effect on artifacts in the other direction. Other printing technologies (e.g. thermal inkjet and acoustical ink printing) also have artifacts that occur in a regular, predictable manner in one or both directions and fall within the scope of this discussion.
Although techniques have been proposed to eliminate such non-uniformity errors by making physical systems more uniform, it is too expensive to control or limit the error to an acceptable level, below which the error will not be detected by the unaided eye. Fixes have been attempted in the marking process, but not enough latitude exists to fully solve the problem. For problem sources such as LED non-uniformity, the correction is sometimes addressed with current control or pulse width control. However, none of the solutions discussed above implements a technique based in digital electronics. With the cost of computing rapidly decreasing, such digital electronics based solutions are becoming more attractive.
Streaks are image artifacts that appear in a printed image and run parallel to the process direction. They are caused by a non-uniform response of at least one of the xerographic components in a given marking engine. Photoreceptor scratches, HSD-wire contamination, and ROS spot size variations are examples of subsystem problems that can give rise to streaks. The current methods used to mitigate streaks are “passive”; i.e., based on demanding subsystem components of high quality and/or tight manufacturing tolerances. For example, the requirements could be a softer toner with low abrasion, a better coating for the HSD-wire, a more accurate optical system for the ROS, etc. As a result, manufacturing (UMC) and maintenance costs for products increases to cope with stringent image quality requirements. This is undesirable.
What is needed in this art is an image processing method to reduce streaking or other image artifacts which appear on a printed image.